Dal, Hel & Bel

I am almost nearly certain that I think I might just maybe try it

2009-11-09T21:12:00.002+11:00

It has been weighing on my mind for a while now.

Everyone else is doing it.

I see the great results from putting every ounce of your being into getting it right.

But potty training just downright scares me.

The art of procrastination has become carefully honed as I try to avoid what will happen eventually. I stall saying that I don't have enough information about it yet. I stall by avoiding the "big girl underpants" section. I stall if given a flicker of evidence that I should wait a little longer.

The facts remain and the facts all point to the same thing. LQ warns me of her impending poo. She demands that I change her nappy when the wetness makes her uncomfortable. She is pulling down her pants quite regularly now. If I was any sort of mother I would be a bit concerned about that last one, particularly when it goes hand in hand with her shirt lifting.

I quite clearly need procrastination tips from DeNae because despite all my fussing around doing nothing we now have E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G needed to become a BIG GIRL. My heart and stomach were switching places when we decided on the Dora Big Girl Undies.

I must remind LQ tomorrow that it is NOT ok to flash your Dora Big Girl Undies to people. I am sure I don't know where she gets this exhibitionism from.

I am scared

Paint Pots and Candy Corn

2009-11-02T09:26:00.003+11:00

My creative juices (and internet searching skills) were flowing the past two weeks. Here is some of what I did.

I used these paint pots that I made myself at the Halloween Party. A quick tutorial is below.

This is my candy bouquet

I made the lollipops myself. I got the idea from Martha Stewart.

I also made the candy corn. I guess you could tell when you saw the colours in the wrong sequence. Oh well... nobody was any the wiser at the party - until I told them. I got the recipe from here. The recipe doesn't mention any candy temperatures. I was kind of guessing at the temps and if I do it again (not likely, it's very time consuming) I would boil the mixture to soft ball temperature.

Ok. Here's my paint pot tutorial.

Wash as many coke cans as you will need. I also took off the little ring pulls.

Grab some black poster paint.

Paint TWO coats of black poster pain on to the sloped part of the coke can. I used smaller coke cans (250 mL). Let the first coat dry before applying the second coat or you are going to have streaks of red showing through.

Measure the height of the straight part of the coke can - from edge of slope down to where the red and silver meet at the bottom. My measurements were precisely 67mm. I then took a burnt orange A4 piece of cardstock and cut a rectangle 67mm wide with the length of the A4 paper. Having the rectangle the length of the A4 paper means it will double around when you glue it to the coke can, but I was too lazy to trim it and I don't think it looked any worse for it.

P.S. Glue the rectangles to the painted coke cans.

Print out some labels and glue to the paint pots.

And there you have it. Easy paint pots that you can just dispose of once you are finished with them. I am thinking of making some for LQ to use here at home. I probably wont spend much time prettying them, though.

I was going to cut out some carved pumpkin faces to glue on other cans like these, but just didn't get enough time to do it.

Australian Halloween

2009-11-01T23:07:00.005+11:00

We aren't as practiced in the art of Halloween down here in Australia. We do, however, have a few half American children down here in Hobart who need to be taught in the ways of the Americas. So we put together a Halloween party.

I was late (because I couldn't find the park!), but still had enough to set up the activities that I had planned - Halloween cookie decorating and wand making. Just none of my decorations!

The wand making station - I'll tell you how to make those cute little paint pots in another post.
All I can say is... it's a good thing we drink so much Coca Cola at our house.

The most gorgeous butterfly working meticulously at making her wand the prettiest.

Dora had so much fun her costume ended up being replaced. It had too much "fun" all over it.

Concentrating on making the best Harry Potter wand.

An Alien Baby....

with his Alien spaceship (he forgot his antennae after he landed)

Before her 50 wands, Nurse Bibby managed to decorate a number of cookies. This girl is a MACHINE!

No words... well, except "I want to eat those cheeks!"

We told the motley crew they wouldn't get any candy until they stood and endured a few photos. I notice though, that there are a few children missing from this group. This is the best photo I could get. Notice LQ - I am certain she would have done well in pictures taken in the late 1800's.

The Trick or Treat Hunt. LQ managed to bypass all the candy and picked up six party blowers. Uh, sorry everyone else.

TWO!!

Is B saying something really exciting to N? or is N just acting excited?

My little Tink on a slide

I have decided that that may be enough pictures for one post and will show you my cooking brilliance in the next post.

One mother's zit...

2009-10-27T19:31:00.002+11:00

I have a nice juicy pimple sitting right underneath my nose. It is a hurty one, so I have resisted all urges to squeeze and let it be.

I have a daughter. A daughter who has found GREAT delight in pointing out the well cultivated pimple below my nose.

All day she has pointed, laughed hysterically while shouting with glee "NOSE!!!"

I am taking a guess that this wont be the last time LQ makes fun of me.

Granny Jules

2009-10-23T12:41:00.004+11:00

My lower back is collapsing in on itself. It has become progressively worse over the last 4 weeks and today I am almost completely incapacitated.

This means two things. LQ gets run of the house (lots of cartoons, crackers and plenty of old floor food) and I am jacked up on painkillers.

While the cartoons play and LQ kicks whatever she feels like kicking, I have been looking through old photos (going back to 2004 - really old) on our external hard drive.

One particular photo I really wanted to show you is of me and my mother-in-law. I am not sure if I have any other ones quite like it. This one makes me want to tell you all about my wonderful mother-in-law.

The first time I met Granny Jules (who wasn't Granny Jules until some time later) she was wearing a very loud, very garish sequined vest. Her mother had been given the task of picking Dal and his mystery girl up from the airport and delivering us straight to the house. So as we walked through the garage into the house we were greeted by a brightly coloured and very busy Granny Jules. She was on her way to join some other garishly dressed gals to sing to a bunch of old people. She gave me a big hug and such a warm smile that I figured I must have done something really good in a previous life if I got to marry into this kind of family. Not that marriage was on the cards at that point in time. Or was it?

Granny Jules is a beautiful singer. LQ has a lullaby CD filled with Granny Jules singing just to her (sort of).

Dal's family are a group of quick-witted bright people who all seem to talk at a mile a minute. But Granny Jules is always happy to listen to whatever I say as I slow down the pace of the conversation. I never feel as though I have said something stupid (except one time... and I really did say something stupid, so it was totally my fault. I made myself feel stupid). I adore listening to Dal and his mom talk to each other. They seem to never lack in interesting conversation.

Granny Jules has very high standards and morals. I think this may be one of the reasons she has such wonderful children. Despite her love for the Twilight series, it seemed that once they started to become a little shady in the moral arena, she didn't think twice about putting them down. She is uncompromising on her standards even when her sons give her a ribbing for it. And I so dearly admire her for it.

From the moment I met Granny Jules she has made me feel loved and at ease within her family. I love that I got so lucky with getting such great in-laws, especially Granny Jules.

My Flapper Princess

2009-10-22T21:38:00.004+11:00

I haven't given much of an update on what LQ has been doing recently and so I am here to amend that.

She has turned into such a beautiful little girl with very strong opinions on certain things.

Her favourite foods are olives and cheese. She LOVES, LOVES, LOVES eating any kind of olive (kalamata, black spanish, green, etc). The olive fetish started well before November last year when we went to a friends house for dinner. As is customary, LQ refused to eat any of the lovely dish (enchiladas) that had been prepared so in a frustrated bid to have her eat anything I threw some olives on her plate. She's been sucking them down ever since.

LQ is very sensitive to any kind of spillage. If her drink spills on the table she will point at it while making a whiny half cry until someone (mummy) wipes it up. Things get a little crazy at nursery when every other child is tipping their drink out on to the table just for fun. She stands quite firmly in spot and says "Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!". I am not sure whether I should be concerned about this. Dal, Hel and Bel went to a friend's house for dinner and to play the other evening. They decided it would be fun to play with some gloop (cornflour and water). LQ just stood there looking at the other children (and me) stick their hands in the gloop and just generally get messy. She couldn't understand how we could derive any pleasure from getting our hands all messy.

I have to admit, her aversion to mess may be my fault.

LQ is very good at doing puzzles all by herself. Although she would prefer if mummy or daddy did them with her.

She loves to take a bath when mummy has a shower in the morning. This means I have to carefully plan when I have my shower now. No more rushed showers before we go out. LQ likes bubbles, but not on her face. She is getting better at laying down in the water to rinse her hair out. She knows that if she doesn't lay down then mummy pours water all over her head and face and LQ doesn't like that.

LQ still has a pacifier to help her go to sleep and on the rare occasion that mummy lays down with her LQ will shove one of her "bit bit's" in mummy's mouth.

LQ enjoys seeing grandma and grandpa and will ask for them as soon as she knows we are going to church (we go to the same ward).

Daddy and LQ love being silly together and when daddy gets particularly silly (like shoving things up his nose) she gets a beautiful belly laugh that is quite contagious. We love taking daddy to work and sometimes we get to see him at work. LQ LOVES the "chairs" that are at daddy's work and squeals with delight whenever she sees them.

Bunny Bear is her favourite stuffed toy. He is constantly undressed, redressed and put in nappies.

LQ had a haircut the other day. I was a bit concerned as to how it would go as she HATES me touching her hair. Of course if it's for anyone else she will be a dream about it. Which happened at the hairdresser, too. We even got to give LQ some layers!

That's all about LQ for the moment. I will return to my usual crappy posts soon!

Fat Babies

2009-10-14T20:41:00.000+11:00

Dal's brother and wife just had their first child.

Ten pounds and 3 ounces. Ummmm.... OUCH?!

Dal's brother posted photos on facebook for those of us who are maybe in a different part of the world or couldn't be bothered to see the real deal.

The comments have already started:

"Dang! That's a big boy"

several more comments about how big he is.

"I hope Amy had the epidural she was planning" (I couldn't help but say something)

"He's going to surpass my eight month old in weight soon"

All of these comments are of course said with no malice whatsoever, but it reminded me of a time before LQ was walking (and even a little bit after).

Although born at a measly six pound 11 ounces LQ quickly worked her way up the buddha ladder . She didn't quite make it to complete buddha status, but if I had a guess I would say she was at least buddha's apprentice. Her insistence on being bald for so long didn't help one bit.

Her chubbiness (chubby - the word used to describe fat babies) solicited many comments not unlike the ones her cousin is now getting.

"Wow, she must like her food!"

"You must have GOOOD breast milk" (excuse me? does it look like I want to talk about the milk that is causing me so much pain?)

"She's big for her age. How old is she?"

"Isn't she a healthy looking baby" - I have since learned that the word healthy is only used to describe babies when they look fat.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" (ok... I just put that one in because I like being asked that question when all the poor kid owns is pink clothing. Figure it out yourself dumb bum)

"She is such a bonny baby" (This one is my favourite. Because I haven't heard anyone else use the word bonny except for our dear friend Gran Denny - Loves to you Gran Denny!)

I never knew there were so many ways to comment on the fatness of one's baby. Do you think that if I used these phrases when I next meet a really fat person they wouldn't be offended?

"Good grief! You ARE big for your age!"

I can see my future and I think I am being sat on by a really big lady.

Aaaaaages

2009-10-10T20:41:00.006+11:00

me (grooving along to a music cable channel): Ooooh! I haven't heard this song in AAAAAGES!

Dal acknowledges that he's heard me and continues staring at the television. He's possibly in a lack-of-LQ induced haze brought on by too many hours of sleep and movie watching.

me (still grooving while I put on my face): Oh wow, I love this song. I haven't heard it in ages!

Dal picks his ear.

me (standing stock still as Prince mesmerises me with his moves): Isn't his video just mesmerising? I haven't heard this song in ages!

Dal: Prince is a MAN.

me (searching the hotel room for some jellybeans. Still grooving): Oh goody! I haven't heard this song in AGES!

Dal waggles his bottom at me.

me: Good grief this is an oldie. I haven't heard this song--

then it hits me. I haven't heard ANY song in AGES. I am a mother of a 2 year old. I had better quit saying it before Dal does more than waggle his bottom at me.

going to Hel...

2009-10-08T16:51:00.003+11:00

I have had plenty of nicknames in my time. Just to name the ones I remember:

Chark
Twinkle Toes
Cluffy
Cluffy's Sister
Helga
Helgs
Hel Bel
Hels Bells

I am sure you are getting the picture. That top one there... that's my dad's name for me. He has called me Chark from before my memories even begin. Just like going through phases of grief, I have gone through phases of owning that nickname.

First I owned it. It was MY name and there was nothing wrong with it at all. As I grew and became more aware of others, I realised that the name "Chark" didn't fall into the normal category of names. It was something to be ashamed of. I secretly prayed that dad would not call me by my nickname in front of my school friends. If the subject of nicknames came up, I would lower my head and if called upon to give my name I would mutter that I didn't have one.

Highschool brought with it a feeling of less embarrassment and more pride. I still didn't want the name to be divulged to anyone unless it was on my terms but I was more willing to tell others my unusual name.

Now in my old age and wisdom I am able to own it again. It is not often that I hear it, but when dad calls after me "see you later, chark" I feel a certain warmth and fondness.

My current nickname that I use online is more of a mistake than anything else. I named our blog Dal, Hel and Bel because I thought it sounded cute. As a default Blogger decided to give me the same nickame - Dal, Hel & Bel. In my blogging ignorance I didn't change it. I didn't realise I could have a different nickname. Until someone mentioned that she didn't know whether she should call me Dal, Hel or Bel or Hels Bels. In a panic I deleted the Dal and Bel and I became Hel.

I have been called Hel many times before in my life and I have to admit it doesn't bother me so much. But now having American in-laws and friends has made me aware the if I added another 'L' to my nickname I would be offending at least half of them on a regular basis.

Every time I post a comment and the comment box asks for my name, I hold my breath, type those three little letters and say a little prayer in the hopes that no one will take me to task on my name. I use it because people (all three of you) recognise that nickname.

So in the interest of less offending names, if I were to change my nickname what do you think is a good name? (please note I said LESS offensive!)

stepping out of my corner

2009-10-04T07:33:00.003+11:00

I was reading Heather at the EO's post. She told me to head over to Elizabeth Esther's blog and join in with the Saturday Evening Blog Post.

I am not usually one to join in with blogging social events, just because I like my little dark blog corner and I am content and comfortable with how things are. But this particular post is suggesting I link to my favourite post of September. I actually HAVE a favourite post this month, so I thought I would give it a go.

Click here if you want to see my favourite post. And go on over to Elizabeth Esther's blog if you have a favourite post and want to share it with random people.

thinking it over

2009-10-03T20:25:00.004+10:00

I think a lot.

I think while I am shaving my legs. I think while I lay in bed waiting for sleep to take over. I think as I am doing the business that should be private but never is once you have children. I am prone to interrupting my daily routine to blankly stare into nothing while I think.

I may stare at a wall envisioning the grandeur of a project that may never leave the dark recesses of my mind. My eyes may be closed in an effort to lull my body to sleep but my thoughts reveal in great detail grand designs. Dal is barraged with life's deep questions at the very moment he slides from awake to semi-consciousness. Many tasks that are started go by the wayside as I think of more efficient ways of doing them. Often I will think in blog posts. My laundry is no longer a chore but a very interesting post about separating colours. The image in the mirror is not seen while I brush my teeth and talk of many subjects that are important to me.

But put me in front of a computer with my blogger dashboard on the screen and you could hear your own echo bounce around my skull. I sit and struggle with my lack of thoughts, willing those ideas that were once plentiful to poke their heads around the corner and just give me a hello.

I sit still, wanting you to know that I think of important issues ALL. THE. TIME. I need you to know that I have an opinion on politics. I am willing to share my insights with you, but they are never there when I need them. My views on religion are beautiful and simple. I take my thoughts on motherhood quite seriously.

And yet, whenever I have these thoughts I am never quite in a position to tell them to you. And like the bubble floating through the air and popping, so do my thoughts and ideas. Although unlike bubbles they usually come back to haunt me as soon as I close the laptop.

So instead of grand ideas, spiritual thoughts and deep philosophies, I give you....

my naked child.

And then I poke fun at her (she ran around the basement after this photo, trying to avoid being clothed). And I like it. Because although I would like you to think that I have a brain, I don't really. And naked photos make me giggle.

Family Prayer Time

2009-09-30T22:09:00.004+10:00

This is how family prayer time at the Petersen house looks.

Bunny Bear has become a permanent fixture in most of the daily tasks performed by LQ

Closing her eyes means gouging them out with her little fingers

Chinny, Chin Chin

2009-09-24T13:10:00.003+10:00

To the extra under my chin that I can see coming,

Please go away. You look like you want to take over the role of my regular chin. I wont allow it. My regular chin does NOT need an understudy.

Yes, my regular chin has been performing since the beginning of the drama entitled "Helen", but he is not worn out yet and will not be for many years to come. Your coming has been premature in the worst sense.

I don't understand why you have appeared so early on in this production. You are such a titchy little thing at the moment, but if I don't address this problem I know that sooner, rather than later, you will overtake the entire production and just make it plain ugly.

So, Mr Extra Chin, I implore you to leave us be for the moment. We will call you when my regular chin starts to get tired. Until that time, go harass someone with a well chiseled chin.

Cordially yours,
Hel (and her ONE chin)

P.S. you can take those ugly little black hairs that suddenly appeared to. They are just as unwelcome as you are

I can tell that we are gonna be friends

2009-09-24T07:37:00.004+10:00

LQ has found a best friend. She calls her "bibby". When bibby comes over to play there is excitement and chaos. LQ jumps up and down waiting for bibby, her mum and little brother to come up the stairs.

And then the intensive play session begins. I love that LQ enjoys playing with someone else so much. It also helps that bibby's mum and I get along so well.

Of course I couldn't get a photo of the two of them looking at the camera at the same time.

The amount of mess on the floor directly relates to the amount of fun they have had.

Exhibition LQ

2009-09-18T22:22:00.004+10:00

LQ has become quite the exhibitionist recently.

She has become aware of the fact that mummy has "boobies" and loves to point any woman out with the same. As we walked down a street in the CBD last week a small poster board advertising a bikini came into view. The young woman modeling the bikini had a nice toned stomach and beautiful skin. LQ quickly put two and two together and proudly smiled up at me as she announced "MUMMY!" while pointing at the nicely toned bikini clad model. Only in my dreams.

Here are a few photos of LQ showing her boobies.
Look how happy she is - I hope this ends before she becomes an adolescent

and for the coup de grace

It is finished

2009-09-17T19:40:00.002+10:00

I have finally finished the crib bumper that I have been making for my little nephew for the past month.

Little nephew is still cooking, so the hiccups in my sewing (looking for house, moving and getting sick) didn't stress me as much as they would if he were already here. Please admire and tell me how wonderful I am.

and we return to our regular programming

2009-09-16T20:26:00.002+10:00

Outside

2009-09-03T16:15:00.003+10:00

My dead arm woke me up. I know that I have slept too long, but I can't hear any pitter patter of small puffy feet. Grandma must have let me sleep and taken LQ when she woke from her nap.

I LOVE Grandma.

I lay on the bed staring out the window waiting for my whole body to wake up. As I look at the wind shaking the trees I think about how much I am going to miss having the live-in grandma. My mind begins to wander to other subjects - how much fabric will I REALLY need to make a Mickey Mouse silhouette head board. Important subjects like that are a continuous stream when my mind isn't otherwise occupied.

I am interrupted mid thought by a scene passing my window. It is a familiar but beautiful scene that only takes a moment to unfold.

Grandma comes into sight carrying shovel in one hand and plastic bag in the other. The chickens must have been invading the human's territory again and left poo deposits up and down the driveway. An old dog slowly follows behind. In her younger years this sunset coloured dog would not have allowed such a befowlment on her master's property. Those chickens would have known who was head animal and may have even had their numbers depleted (if they knew what was good for them... grrrowl). Now the old dog's biggest worry is choosing a sunspot that will soothe her aching arthritic bones.

Lurching, stumbling, half-jogging behind the old dog arrives LQ. Her butterfly gumboots especially purchased for ambling around the grandparents five acres hinder her progress somewhat. LQ's mastery of the boots is coming along but she still manages to appear tipsy as she walks past the window.

The three - Grandma, Old Dog and LQ - amble single file along the path through the unkempt garden. This has become a familiar routine over this past winter month. As the sun tentatively and quickly shows what it is really capable of, Grandma will announce it is time for outside. Gumboots, beanie and puffy vest are donned in an excited flurry. LQ is heard to pronounce "'side?!" (outside) several times. Then it is on to pottering, gardening, piggy-backing ("Hang On!") and old dog chasing.

The flashing scene outside my window reminds me that these lazy days will soon come to end. I quickly capture the memory framing it in my mind. The framed memory will be used later when I lament days gone by when toes and cheeks were chubbier and life was all about being outside.

Purely Update (and maybe a little bit of whining)

2009-08-30T20:27:00.002+10:00

This post is nothing more than an update on what the Dal, Hel and Bel's are doing with themselves. I guess most of my posts are so I am not sure why I am so apologetic about this one....

We have been in Hobart living with my parents for just under a month now. While we are so appreciative of their hospitality and love being able to spend time with them, we are both (Dal and Hel) now ready to move into a place of our own.

It has been two whole months since we left Sydney and it has been over seven months since we have actually lived with OUR stuff. Our stuff doesn't amount to much when you look at it all packed in a 20 foot container. In fact it doesn't even fill a 20 foot container, but it is still our stuff and I long for my own cookware. I desperately want to curl up on our ugly brown couch and watch our dirty little television while LQ plays with her two enormous boxes of toys.

I want to go to the bathroom and leave the door open. I want LQ to sleep in a different bedroom to Dal and I. I want to be a home maker again instead of a holiday maker.

Cross your fingers and pray that this third place that we have applied for will be the one.

But after all's said and done, you know I will want to spend most of my time back here at mum's place... I'll just have my own place to retreat to once I have had enough.

One named Peter, One named Paul

2009-08-20T06:55:00.000+10:00

Two little Dicky birds sitting on the car
Amused by their own reflections - I guess these birds don't see much of their reflections on account of the sun being behind a cloud most of the day

It was so cute how they sat there twittering and playing with the window. So cute in fact that I had to take a closer look.

Oh RAH-EEEALLL CUTE!!

Since when did we start preparing food on the chairs?

2009-08-19T07:30:00.002+10:00

You have heard many times that Love is the universal language. Regardless of your language barriers, if you are in love you will get by.

True enough sentiment if you like being misunderstood by every other person in your lover's life.

When Dal and I first met all was well with the world. We got along famously and we both spoke english. What a coup! Love is blind and maybe deaf as well, because I can't remember having any issues with difference in speech or language in those beginnings. I dare say Dal noticed many differences but just bit his tongue and endured the little nuances in my language.

It wasn't until I moved down to Orem, Utah to date Dal properly that I even suspected that Australian's and American's spoke a little differently.

I had the opportunity to help a friend out by answering a few phones and during this time I realised that a lot of people couldn't understand me. And for heavens sake .... how DO you pronounce Orem? Is it Oh-rem, Oar-rem, O-rem? I lost the count on the times my friend had to correct my pronunciation of that wonderful little city. I am STILL completely confused about it's pronunciation - all because I have been corrected so many times.

It was so difficult for me to pronounce Orem the correct way because I had to speak like an American to get it right. Those hard 'R's ' get me every time. So in an effort to help those poor unsuspecting souls on the phone and protect my sanity, I began to slightly change inflections and important 'R's' in my speech. Oh, it's alright - I didn't change my accent, because that is one way people remembered me. But my accent became more... mixed. It was not only my accent that change ever so slightly. Certain words came into my vocabulary that I would not have otherwise used.

I call it my "Amestralia Language". I continue to perfect this bastardisation of the two languages every time I visit the Land of the Free.

Admittedly, I still get a few things wrong.

"Ju-Ju! Would you mind passing the hairdryer out to me. I think it is there in the bathroom with you on the bench!" I am yelling through the bathroom door to my youngest sister-in-law.

There is silence.

"It's a COUNTER sweetheart! She's not going to know what you mean," shouts Dal from down the hall.

"Oh... Sorry! I mean the COUNTER." Immediately I am rewarded with a hairdryer.

"Um... I guess we could use the bench to cut these vegetables." A perfectly reasonable suggestion to me until those around me start looking confusedly outside at the bench.

Yes... I call both a chair and a counter top the same thing. Only occasionally - and now only in Australia.

Love Note to a Virgin

2009-08-13T20:35:00.002+10:00

Oh Virgin Airlines how I love thee, let me count the ways

the ease with which you check me in sets my heart aflutter. be it on international or domestic flights.
I love your international flight and personal entertainment systems. The constant Playhouse Disney for LQ, the ever ready solitaire for mindless time passing, and your interactive games that I can beat Dal with.
Your baggage check through at the international airport made me dizzy with pleasure. The added bonus of free shuttle to the domestic airport had me thinking you are too good to be true.
Even though your domestic airline didn't have a flight to Hobart for some time after we arrived in sydney, your lounge service went above and beyond my wildest expectations.
How could I have known you would refresh me with your lovely showers, entertain LQ with your enormous theatre room while we stretched out on your long luxurious theatre seats.
If my house is not available, you, Virgin Lounge are my number one choice.
I love you friendly and helpful staff - constant with their friendliness and helpfulness. I depend on your friendliness.
I love your domestic flights with their better snack choices than other airlines and once again you provide me with personal entertainment.

My dearest Virgin Airlines please never leave me in my hour of flying. You are my favourite and always will be... until I am able to fly business class.

P.S. Richard Branson, even though you are a complete toolbag, I may be in love with you for creating the Virgin brand. I said MAYBE!!

Back to Oz

2009-08-04T08:52:00.002+10:00

We are about to leave for our LOOOOOONG journey back to Australia. We have a six hour stopover in Sydney while we wait for the other flight to Hobart.

Each time we come to visit Dal's family, leaving gets harder. I get closer and more attached to everyone. This makes for a really hard time leaving. I know that if Dal's mom starts to cry, I definitely will - so this is my plan. I am not going to make eye contact with anyone for the next 20 minutes. Once we are out the door I should be fine.

Of course at the same time I am excited to be seeing my family again. Such swinging emotions should NOT be experienced at the same time.

The Evils of Midol

2009-07-30T13:51:00.005+10:00

I had the fantastic opportunity to play with "That Girl" from Pensievity yesterday.

I took LQ along just because we were going to the pool in That Girl's complex and I thought LQ might like it.

That Girl has just moved her family of three boys and a husband back to the US after living in Brazil for about five years. I sympathised with her when she recently wrote a post about cranky children and moving. I guess I just wanted an excuse to meet her, so we arranged a time to meet up and put our plan into action.

Before I left the house for my play date, I popped a few Midol pills. This was so my play wouldn't be hindered by any discomfort that I may have felt from my dearest monthly visit (BLAST that period pain!!).

In my Midol haze I may have:

Forgotten any sun protection for LQ - HELLOOOO we were going to the pool!
Made the decision NOT to bring my own bathers because, I reasoned, it wasn't really a pool but just a sort of sprinkler park - HELLOOOO we were going to the P.O.O.L!
Scared the be-whatsit out of That Girl by not knocking loud enough on her door and then having her just walk straight into me (the skulker)
Decided against putting a swimming nappy (diaper) on LQ because I planned on just leaving her diaper-less.
made That Girl loan me her nicest swimsuit. On a side note: I FIT INTO THAT GIRL'S SWIMSUIT!!!! (I am so excited about that. Do you know how fantastic she looks?!)
Forgotten to take LQ's diaper off
slathered suncream on LQ but forgot to put any on myself
panicked halfway through our swim and made LQ stand in the shade until That Girl offered her son's t-shirt for LQ to wear in the pool
just generally behaved erratically and unlike myself

By the time our swim time was over LQ's diaper had absorbed so much water it had started to fall apart. Lucky for me (and everyone else), none of it had come out into the pool water and as LQ stood near the outdoor shower I pulled off her swimsuit hoping to peel off the diaper at the same time and contain any diaper gel that may have escaped. No such luck - a whole pocket of gel had made its way halfway up LQ's back already and fell with an unceremonious PLOP right by the shower.

I quickly prayed for a fast and painless death so that I wouldn't be burdened with the shame of scooping up the insides (that were no longer inside) of LQ's diaper and walking the long walk to the garbage bin.

No such luck. It was like I was having an out of body experience. I couldn't look anyone in the eye. I may have mumbled "Speaking of social faux pas..." and then forced a laugh that could have sounded more like a donkey's bray - I can't remember, my brain is already erasing this painful memory in an effort to make me feel better about myself.

I had hoped to help That Girl feel better about her "new girl" status by organising a play date. I am now 100% sure that the only way I made her feel better was when she realised that she is nowhere near being as retarded as I am.

That Girl is such a wonderful girl that she probably decided to overlook my Midol hazed stare, my constant stream of idiotic decisions and then my total lack of propriety by eating her food and then running off into the sunset. But I will completely understand if when I contact her when I am here again next year she hesitates before replying.

Take Me Out

2009-07-30T06:53:00.006+10:00

The Arizona Diamondbacks are playing last years World Series Champions the Philadelphia Phillies this week.

Dal and I were lucky enough to go to a game last night with Dal's Dad and brother in law. Here's the story through pictures.

Taking the Light Rail into Phoenix. Pretending I am not tired and irritated by the stupid Phillies fans that kept clapping louding

At the ball park
Staring down the obnoxious Phillies fan
3rd inning, We bought ourselves a footlong "Ricky" Dog. Ricky was our toothless hotdog server who named the dog.
It turns out we could only eat half a footlong. It's a good thing we didn't get those Chili Cheese Fries.
Getting excited - about... the Diamondbacks fans who were leaving in droves when we were still down 4-1 in the 8th inning.
Dal rallied with his cap AND faceI asked my millionth question about what was happening

We finally went to the official swag store and bought me a shirt to represent in
We saw the second best comb over I have ever seen

I had to document my awesome sunglasses that we just bought. That's Dal's dad and Pete behind me. Notice Pete representing Dodgers? The Dodgers were down 10-0 when we last looked last night.
Diamondbacks score a two run homer in the 9th inning
The Diamondbacks still lost - 4-3. Sorry Dal

Postscript: As I write this post, the D-backs are winning tonight's game 3-0 (7th inning). Dal is happy.